Gracy
In my blog on Working Women I wrote about “Fraction.” This story is by Gracy who is well known for writing very concise short-stories. There are two more stories by Gracy in the book, “Baby Doll” and “When a Star is Falling.”
"Baby Doll" is about an innocent 12 year old who has not fully developed mentally and behaves like an 8-year old but has the looks of a17 year old. She loves dolls and treats them like her friends. A college student neighbor uses this fact to trick her when her parents are out to visit a neighbor who had an accident, in the hospital. They had given strict instructions to the young girl not to open the door, but to talk to anyone who rang the door bell through the window. When the young man promises to give her a live doll she is so thrilled that she forgets her mother’s instructions and opens the door wide to follow him to his room. She has no clue as to what his intentions are or how she will get the live doll.
Unsuspecting young girls being sexually exploited by men is true the world over. If they are vulnerable the situation is worse because, as the mother explains the reason for her anxiety about her daughter, “Times are bad.”
“When a Star is Falling” is about a young, rich woman who lives in a house that looks like a palace, and has cars and other luxuries. But the housewife looks sad because her husband “is a thief” who steals “women’s chastity,” she tells a real thief who had targeted her house to steal from. She considers a falling star a great wonder, though her beautiful, younger sister used to tease her saying that the stars got scared seeing her and were running away.
Being wealthy alone does not guarantee a happy life. Many aspects of life have to come together for a person's happiness.
Achamma Chandersekaran
Website: http://www.achammachander.com/
India Edition: www.rainbowbookpublishers@gmail.com
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